Demolition of the Grosvenor block signals the transformation of Sheffield’s city centre

Wednesday 30 March 2016

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30 March 2016

Sheffield City Council has announced that full demolition of the Grosvenor House Hotel block is to start within three months in preparation for a start to construction of a new retail, commercial, leisure and residential scheme, known as the Sheffield Retail Quarter (SRQ).

Tenants in the building have been issued with notification to leave the building within three months to enable works to begin in earnest. Asbestos stripping of the building is now nearing completion after several weeks of work on site.

The move comes as Sheffield City Council confirms it is close to finalising discussions with a major blue chip company to occupy the first phase of the SRQ, likely to be offices and retail, on the site of the Grosvenor Block. An official announcement is expected next week.

The Council has also been working closely with key retailers such as John Lewis, who welcomes the Council’s ambitious plans for the city centre and is committed to on-going discussions with the Council about their place in the scheme.

Commenting on the progress, Simon Green, Executive Director at Sheffield City Council said: “We are making real progress and remain on course to deliver the first phases of the SRQ by 2019. People will see a visible start to preparatory demolition works of the Grosvenor Block within three months after all the asbestos has been removed. We are in active conversations with John Lewis and expect to announce the first phase of the SRQ very shortly involving retail and a major blue chip company.

Bringing jobs and the spending power they deliver right to the very heart of the city helps to make the retail element far more attractive to retailers and will help stimulate further office development in the area as well as our restaurant, bar and hotel offer. This is a hugely complex scheme but we are working hard to deliver this project which is so important for the future of the city.”

SRQ is part of the council’s wider economic plans to provide the right environment for a dynamic private sector with a skilled workforce. The creation of the city’s Digital Campus at Electric Works, the continued growth of the Advanced Manufacturing Park and the recent extension to the Business District at the heart of the city in St Paul’s Place are all key to this.

Over the coming months work will be undertaken to refine the design for the proposed scheme which will be shared with stakeholders and the general public as part of further consultation.